Bypassing Congress, Trump says he'll sign order to resume pay for Homeland Security

Key Points:

• Republican leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have aligned with former President Trump to support a two-step plan to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ending the partial shutdown that began last week.
• The Senate plan funds most of DHS except U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol, which Republicans plan to fund separately through party-line legislation that may take months to finalize.
• This shift marks a reversal for Johnson, who previously criticized the Senate plan, but securing support from conservative House Republicans remains a challenge amid concerns over defunding immigration enforcement.
• Democrats have criticized the delay in funding DHS, blaming Republican divisions for prolonging the shutdown and its impact on American families, while some Republicans warn against approving funding that excludes ICE and Border Patrol.
• The majority of DHS employees continue to work without pay, causing operational strains such as TSA staffing shortages, though recent executive actions have begun to alleviate some issues by providing back pay.